Guizhou Renhe, finishing fourth in the Chinese Super League, stunned triple league champions Guangzhou Evergrande 2-0 at home on Sunday in the first leg of the Chinese FA Cup final.

Renhe's Yu Hai, 26, scored twice after the interval. But the turning point came earlier in the 29th minute when Evergrande's prolific striker Elkeson from Brazil was fouled out for pushing over Renhe's Yang Hao after a fierce tackle.

Renhe head coach Gong Lei sang highly of his first choice left-winger Yu Hai after the match, saying,"Yu boasts highest quality in speed, skill and chance-taking among Chinese footballers."

Yu Hai had ever joined Dutch first division league side Vitesse in 2007 and scored Chinese footballers' first goal in the Netherland in a Dutch Cup game. He returned to China after the 2008 Olympics, due to cruciate ligament damage in his left knee. Now, Yu still has little chance to be a starter in the national team.

Gong Lei said that Yu proved his ability in today's match in which most of the opponents' defenders are national team starters.

Renhe and Evergrande had met in the 2012 Chinese FA Cup final, in which Renhe earned a home tie 1-1 but lost 4-2 on road.

Before today's duel, Gong Lei said that although Evergrande had been the top flight winners, the defending champions of the FA Cup, and even the AFC Champions League titlists, Renhe had never lost to them at home.

In the last season of the Chinese Super League, Renhe beat Evergrande 2-1 at home. "Evergrande look invincible, but they have weaknesses," Gong added.

From the very beginning of today's tight game, Evergrande pressed Renhe hard with their fluent teamwork and their skipper Zheng Zhi found the net in the box in the 8th minute, but Zheng was obviously offset.

After Elkeson's red card, Renhe rallied. Yu Hai chested the ball and rushed into the box from the left in the 51st minute, beating Evergrande's goalie Zeng Cheng with a flash shot and lifing the home side to 1-0 lead.

On 67 minutes, Yu Hai came from the left again, beating two defenders and his small-angled shot found the top corner of the net.

After the final whistle, Evergrande players surrounded the Japanese umpire but nothing changed.

The second leg of the final will kick off in Guangzhou on Dec. 7. Gong Lei vowed to play more aggresively in Guangzhou to clinch the crown. He revealed that the team will get a huge prize for the final win. However, he did not disclose the exact amount.

At this week's AFC annual awards ceremony in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Evergrande became the biggest winners with the most prestigious Player of the Year to Zheng Zhi, Foreign Player of the Year to Brazilian striker Muriqi, and the best Asian club of the Year.

The Chinese FA Cup crown is the only one at stake for the ambitious Evergrande this year as they target a sweep of the Chinese FA Cup, Chinese Super League, and AFC Champions League titles.

Evergrande's world famous coach Marcello Lippi from Italy had said that the decisive game would be the second leg.

Lippi repeated his words today after the defeat.

Playing down the impact from the suspension of both Elkeson and Muriqi due to red and yellow cards, Lippi expressed his hope of a team recover on home turf.

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